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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. degree — from a university
  4. mark — a trace
  5. board — to get on
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mark — a grade
  8. suit — in cards
  9. season — of the year
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. season — in sport
  16. degree — temperature
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. degree — an amount
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. craft — boats
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com